


Decisions, decisions

by hkandi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Discord: Kakashi Lounge, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Gift Exchange, Hatake Kakashi Needs a Hug, Hatake Kakashi is Bad at Feelings, Ice Skating, Iruka watches out for all of them, M/M, Naruto is Just Naruto, Paw pads!, Wise Pakkun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:01:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28364349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hkandi/pseuds/hkandi
Summary: Kakashi begins to see that there could be more to life than being an ANBU, little by little, with some help from Pakkun, Naruto, and Iruka.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Pakkun, Hatake Kakashi & Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Umino Iruka & Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 16
Kudos: 143





	Decisions, decisions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kitera_Matar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitera_Matar/gifts).



> Written for a doodle<->drabble exchange for the Kakashi Lounge on Discord. I couldn't choose between two of their drawings, so I combined both into one story!
> 
> Check them out [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27615755) and [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27615866).

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

The sun was setting, dipping below the horizon, below the line of trees as far as the eye could see.

Kakashi sat on top of Hokage Rock, watching it.

He was in full ANBU uniform, and wryly noted that it was rare that he was dressed like that and got to enjoy a moment of peace.

To his left, his Hound mask sat on the ground next to him.

To his right, Pakkun sat, also watching the sunset.

They sat in silence, in thought.

"Iruka invited me to go ice skating," Kakashi said, after some time. He shuffled. When had his armor become so tight?

"Oh yeah?" Pakkun asked. "You going to go?"

Kakashi shrugged as he watched the sunset. "I don't know."

He wanted to, kami he wanted to. Iruka was nice. Nice to talk to, to look at, to be around. 

It had been a while since Kakashi had people in his life he wanted to be around, outside of his ANBU team.

"You should go, he's a nice kid," Pakkun said, gruffly.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "He's sixteen and a chuunin, he's not a kid."

"And you're 20 and an idiot," Pakkun said, and Kakashi turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?" Pakkun asked, shrugging. "You are."

"What makes you say that?"

"You're sitting here debating if you should go out with him," the pug pointed out. "You like him, he likes you."

Kakashi sighed. "He likes me as Kakashi. Look at me, this is me, the real me. He wouldn't like this me, Hound."

"You, Hound, Kakashi, one and the same," Pakkun said. "You won't be Hound forever, you know. One day you'll fully be just Kakashi, and then what?"

"Then...I don't know," Kakashi said. "I'm on the go with ANBU so much, I don't know what it's like outside of it anymore."

"Iruka does," Pakkun said. "And he'll show you. Make you more human again."

"I can't become soft," Kakashi said, sternly. Soft gets you killed, he said to himself.

"I said human, not soft," Pakkun said. "Human, like interacting with people, wearing only one mask, doing things for fun, not always working. Soft is different. Like my paw pads," he said, studying a paw.

"I might embarrass myself," Kakashi argued.

"Good, you could do with a bit of that."

Kakashi sighed. "He's taking sensei's son ice skating."

They sat in silence for a moment again, the weight of that sentence hanging in the air.

"You like the kid," Pakkun offered. "He's obnoxious and messy like all kids are, but a good kid overall. Go."

"I might --" Kakashi began.

"Go."

"But --"

Pakkun sighed. "You're going, even if the pack has to drag you there."

Kakashi frowned slightly underneath his mask, accepting the decision had been made as the sun made its last dip below the horizon.

_____

Things for Kakashi were never as simple as they should be, though some would say he made them harder than they ought to be.

Iruka had been thrilled when Kakashi told him he would join them for ice skating, and reminded him to wear civilian clothes.

This struck a new terror into Kakashi's heart, far greater than facing ten enemy nin on his own. Larger, angrier enemy nin.

For he had no civilian clothes.

Kakashi had immediately gone to the first clothing store he could find and purchased said clothing, then decided they looked "too new" and proceeded to sleep in them every night for the next few days, washing them two days before the big day.

He had arrived slightly early to meet Iruka and Naruto, dressed in blue civilian pants and a black civilian coat, topped off with a grey winter hat and grey gloves; underneath, a uniform sweater. He reasoned that it was an appropriate top to wear, and so what if it made him feel more comfortable? 

To his surprise, the others appeared to have gotten there even earlier.

Kakashi exhaled slightly when he saw Iruka dressed similarly to him, in blue civilian pants, a brown civilian coat, and a deep purple scarf. His forehead protector had been replaced by a dark blue, almost black, fleece ear warmer headband. Naruto was talking a mile a minute, wearing a bright orange coat and black pants, green earmuffs and a bright blue scarf. His mittens, however, were a bright red, and Kakashi cringed at all the bright colors.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile when he caught Iruka's eye, and they waved to each other.

"Naruto, remember Kakashi?" Iruka prompted the blond.

"Uh huh, you're tall and have nice dogs and Iruka talks about you a lot!" Naruto shouted, and Iruka elbowed him.

"Naruto, shh!" Iruka whispered, before turning to Kakashi, a blush spreading across his tanned cheeks. "He...I don't...I mean..."

"It's okay," Kakashi said, grateful that his mask, which he had, naturally, kept on, hid his own heated cheeks.

"Iruka!" Naruto said, tugging Iruka's coat. "Give him the gift!"

"Oh, right!" Iruka said, reaching into a brown bag slung across his body. "We went out earlier and bought our scarves, and thought you might like one too, since it's so cold out today."

He passed Kakashi a tissue-paper wrapped item, and Kakashi opened it to find a dark red scarf.

"I thought red would suit you," Iruka said, bashfully.

Kakashi began to panic inwardly. Did Iruka know he was Hound? That his mask was decorated in red? That he had asked out one of the most feared ANBU? That --

"Put it on!" Naruto shouted, breaking up his runaway thoughts.

Kakashi did as directed. "How does it look?"

"Great!" Naruto said, and Iruka smiled and nodded.

"Well, thank you," Kakashi said, feeling the doubts slip away. "I feel warmer already."

They set off to rent ice skates, Kakashi telling himself with each step that it was absolutely unlikely that Iruka knew anything about his role with ANBU.

To Kakashi's amusement and Naruto's frustration, Iruka insisted the child wear protective elbow and knee pads.

"It's his first time skating," Iruka told Kakashi as they wrestled the boy into the gear.

"I don't need them!" Naruto said, pouting.

"It's my first time skating too," Kakashi quietly informed them.

"Where's his pads?" Naruto said to Iruka, narrowing his eyes.

"I don't need pads," Kakashi interjected. "Because if I fall, I'll fall onto you, but if you fall, you'll fall onto the ice."

Iruka snickered as he put on his own gloves, purple ones that matched his scarf.

"Iruka, Kakashi will flatten me!" 

"Naruto, don't be so dramatic. He's tall but skinny, you'll only be slightly crushed," Iruka pointed out.

"What?!" Naruto shouted.

Iruka laughed again. "How about, you skate between us and hold both our hands? I'll keep you up, and you can help keep him up. It's a big job, think you can handle it?"

Naruto puffed out his chest and stood, wobbling slightly on his skates on the padded area leading to the rink. "Believe it!"

The adults laughed and made their way to the ice. Iruka stepped out onto it first, helping Naruto and followed by Kakashi, who awkwardly adjusted his center of gravity to balance on the new terrain.

"You okay?" Iruka asked him, concern on his face.

It stirred something in Kakashi's chest and he gave him an upside down eye smile. "Never better. Shall we?"

They began to skate, slowly and sticking near the rink's walls, but soon found their stride, holding up Naruto between them as he awkwardly semi-glided on the ice.

Kakashi found that he was actually enjoying the activity, and his brain reasoned that it was good exercise and perhaps could become winter training.

For not only himself, but perhaps with Iruka? Dare he even think that this could become a regular activity for them?

As he thought about it and watched Iruka laugh over something Naruto had said, Kakashi could feel his worries slip away. No thoughts about the past, nor about the future, he was letting those go for now, and just enjoying being in the moment with them.

Finally.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and suggestions welcomed!
> 
> Let's connect, I'm on [tumblr](https://hkandiu.tumblr.com/)


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